A Pair of Universes
by 09Echo
Summary: Lara Kent has to go to the past to help save her family. Unfortuantly, Lara ends up in another universe. She has to help create a new future for this universe while still finding a way to save her past. Clois, Chollie, Lucy/Ron. AFTER SEASON 10.
1. Chapter 1

A Pair of Universes

**Chapter One**

2050

Lara bounced her baby niece on her knees. She cooed contentedly and stared intently in her Auntie's eyes. Lara loved every minute she got to spend with the little tyke. Her parents were very protective of her, understandably. She had inherited a few more of her Grandfather's genes than expected. So even for a third generation Kryptonian she had a lot of power growing inside her, not that it showed quite yet. But parents could never be too careful. They never left Ella in the hands of anyone other than family. They couldn't risk it. And the family secret was ever growing as was the generations of family that came. Chloe and Oliver had three grandchildren respectively and Lucy Lane and Ron Troupe had one as well. Ella was the newest member of the Kent bunch and was the only grandchild of Lois and Clark, but it didn't seem to bother them much. They loved doting on little Ella and weren't in any rush to see 28 year old Adam or 20 year old Lara have kids of their own. It was a big responsibility to have a Kryptonian baby, as Lois had quickly learned with her first pregnancy. It wasn't a walk in the park.

2019

Lois placed her hand protectively on her four month pregnant belly. Little baby Olivia had a mind of her own and was aiming to kick back after the unborn baby had kicked her.

"Sorry Lo." Chloe said apologetically, "She doesn't know any better."

"It's okay Chlo," Lois replied, "I'm just a bit overprotective after…"

Chloe didn't need her to finish. She knew the two miscarriages had been very hard on both Lois and Clark. They were about to give up entirely when they had found out about the third pregnancy. Luckily Doctor Emil had been studying Kryptonian genes in mice and had found a semi-workable cure. It involved Lois undergoing dialysis twice a month and replacing her blood entirely with Clark's. It was hard on all three of them, but it had to be done. The babies before had rejected the womb for its lack of Kryptonian hospitality. The dialysis helped, but the pregnancy still shook Lois a bit with the extra oomph in the baby's kicks and its foreign genetics not quite matching with her own.

"Don't worry Lo," Chloe replies, "A little kick from Olivia wouldn't have hurt the baby. But I promise to keep her away just in case."

Just then the boys came in, Ollie holding a bottle of eggnog and some cups and Clark with four year old Connor on his shoulders.

"Fly Uncle Clark. Fly." Connor demanded wanting to be airborne so badly.

"Sorry little champ." Ollie replied, "No flights for you until you are at least 10."

Chloe smiled at her husband. She knew that he wasn't really worried about Clark taking the boy to the skies. He had done it before when Connor was really sick as a baby. Ollie would rather have Connor shooting bow and arrows than idolizing his Uncle so much. He was always worried about the kids trying to be like Uncle Clark though it wasn't exactly unwarranted. Connor had put on a cape and tried to jump off the garage the year before.

"You want a flight Con you got it." Clark replied much to Mr. and Mrs. Queen's dismay. But instead of jetting off he took Connor down from his shoulders and had him laying flat across his arms. Clark ran the boy around the room making plane noises and Connor giggled putting his arms out playing along.

Lois smiled and a tear rolled down her cheek. She had imagined moments like this when she was pregnant before, except the little boy in Clark's arms was theirs and not her cousin's. It hurt to be so close but so far away.

Chloe seeing the hurt in Lois's eye went over and wrapped her arm around Lois's shoulder. "It'll be your kid someday." She promised in a whisper.

AU-2028

Lois stared down at her underwear. Scarlet red blood covered her favorite satin panties, but that was the least of her worries. The blood meant that Lois had miscarried once again. It was the seventh time. She had hoped so much that this time would be different. But this was it. She and Clark had promised this would be there last try. Lois was in her 40s now and the chances of having a healthy baby were slimmer as each month passed. They had talked about sperm donors, but Lois couldn't imagine having a baby that wasn't Clark's. She truly wanted a kid that was theirs. A baby that looked like Clark but had a bit of her spunk. A baby that was both human and Kryptonian. A part of both their worlds. A legacy. But Lois pulled the thought from her mind uneasily. She threw the panties in the trash and walked out into her bedroom. She wished deeply that Clark was there, but was also happy that he wasn't. She plopped herself down on the bed and let her tears soak the pillow she clung to her chest.

2050

The air in the room seemed to change. It was so subtle that Lara didn't notice at first, but a chill fell on her back and she looked around the room suspiciously. Something was off. She had to go get_…"Wait." She thought to herself, "What is_ _my niece's name again?"_ She drew a blank. She couldn't remember. And the harder she tried to focus the more than memory seemed to slip away from her. _"This is just crazy." Lara thought, "I must have had a weird dream or something. I don't have a niece."_

Jonathan and Elizabeth walked into their apartment and looked strangely at Lara.

"What are you doing here?" Jonathan, Lara's eldest brother asked.

"I was…I was…I don't remember." Lara replied.

"It's not that we mind you stopping by," Elizabeth said, "It's just unexpected. I didn't even know you had a key."

"I don't." Lara replied, "You let me in. You needed me here to…to…"

"Don't worry about it Lar." Jonathan said calmly, "Just a little warning might be in order next time. Like a phone call."

"Sorry about all of this. I guess I should just go home." Lara whispered.

"No you came all this way. Stay for dinner." Liz invited.

"Alright," Lara responded, "I guess I will."

… … … … … … … … … …

Jon and Lara landed on the roof of her apartment complex.

"I could've sworn there was a reason I was there." Lara said.

"I know. It's okay," Jon replied kindly, "Get some rest. It'll help to clear your head. Maybe you'll remember in the morning."

Jon jimmied the lock on the balcony exit open and Lara headed inside. While walking down the stairs she tried to clear her head. She followed the curves of the building with no difficulty and soon found herself at her door. Apartment 703 Starside Heights East Harlem. It was a small studio apartment, but Lara had made it her own. She had to work very hard to make rent, but then again her parents were famous reporters in Metropolis. That had its perks. Her mother negotiated the rent down and her Father made the Landlord fix up all the things that weren't up to code.

Lara was searching through her keys for the right ones to each of the three deadbolts when she realized that the door was slightly cracked. Her mind briefly thought on screaming. Jon or one of the other two superheroes in her life would be there in a flash, but she decided against it. Most often in this part of town it would just be a break in and there wasn't anything she could do about that now. She opened the door and immediately saw a blonde woman staring straight at her. A woman she had only seen in old pictures, but who didn't look a day older than she was in those.

She mumbled in amazement, "Kara."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

2050

"Hello Lara." Kara said, "I need your help."

"How do you know my name? How did you get here?" Lara questioned.

"It's a long story Lara. There isn't time to tell it now. All you need to know is the past has changed and we need to fix it."

"My dream. It wasn't a dream was it? It was real. I had a niece."

"Yes Lara. You had a niece, but it is so much more than that. This is about your family Lara. Your family's legacy."

"Fight the good fight," Lara said with fake enthusiasm, "Dad is always talking like that."

"Well it's true," Kara replies and looks down to her Kryptonian braclet which is counting down from two minutes, "We don't have much time. Are you coming or not?"

"I want to b-"

Kara sped across the room and grabbed Lara throwing their bodies into a time portal before she could hear anything else.

AU-2028

There was a whoosing noise as Superman flew in through the living room window. He did a quick change into his work attire which he had laid out on the couch. He was about to head off to work when he heard a soft sob.

"Lois." Clark shouted walking towards the bedroom.

He entered the room and say Lois sitting on the edge of the bed whipping her red eyes. Clark sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

Lois who had been working so hard to compose herself lost all control once the arm wrapped around her. Her eyes started spurting tears again.

"Clark I…I…"

"It's okay," Clark said softly, "I love you Lois. You are all I ever need."

Lois cried harder at Clark's words and turned to bury her face in his chest. Clark sat there comforting his wife. He just knew what had happened by the look in her eyes. And as much as he wants a child he wants them to be happy more.

?

Lara opens her eyes groggily. She moves her neck from side to side trying to get the stiffness out. As her vision cleared Lara realized why she was hurting so much, she was in an alleyway laying next to a dumpster and some old boxes. And that wasn't the worst part. She was alone.

2050

"Hey Jon." Adam welcomed as his brother walked into Watchtower Metropolis. The boys had claimed this as their headquarters in their teens and renovated it to fit them.

"Hey Adam," Jon replied, "You talked to Lara lately?"

"What's up?" Adam said his curiosity piqued at the mention of his baby sister.

"She came by yesterday, but couldn't remember why." Jon stated.

"That seems odd. Lara is the one who remembers the most out of all of us. I swear I would forget Mom and Dad's anniversary if she didn't remind me every year." Adam replied.

"Yeah that's why I'm concerned." Jon responds, "It was like there was a reason she was here but-"

"Have you called her?" Adam asked cutting Jon off, "Maybe she remembers now."

"Yeah I did call. Twice." Jon retorted, "No answer."

"This is so unlike her. She wouldn't just not answer." Adam said a hint of worry in his voice, "Maybe we should go check up on her."

"The last time we did that we got a speech about being overprotective brothers. She just accidently left her phone at home."

"I know. I'm just…I'm just concerned." Adam said. Jon shrugged and went over to the computer typing away and leaving Adam to his thoughts.

?

Lara stood up and a piece of paper fluttered down to the ground before her feet. She picked it up and read.

Lara,

Couldn't stay. You have to do this on your own. Save your family. Save the legacy.

Aunt Kara

"But I don't…I don't have powers." Lara mumbled to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

2035

Lara hopped off the yellow school bus and ran down the dirt path to the barn. Her Superman backpack bouncing against her thighs as she ran. Her brothers were already home and Lara was hoping they would play with her. Especially since it was Friday and Dad did all the chores in the morning so the boys could have a break.

Lara ran right up to the front of the barn doors and stopped hand ready to open one when she hears her brother Jon yell, "Go!" Her brothers shot out of the barn forcing the doors open as they went. The door hit Lara's hands which she had put up reflexively and she flew to the ground. Her head hit the barn behind her and back was scratched up quite a bit from all the rocks. Determined to be brave and not cry Lara pushed herself off the ground and walked to the house.

When Lara opened the front door she saw her mom and dad in a close embrace kissing. Lara, used to the sight, walked right over to her Dad and pulled on his slacks.

Clark recluctantly pulled out of the kiss and looked down to see his daughter covered with dirt and a bump forming on her head. He bent down so he was eye to eye with the five year old.

"What happened baby girl?" Clark asked.

"I was at the barn and the door opened and whoosh and I feel and why can't I run like my brothers." Lara exclaimed all in one breath.

"Slow down honey," Clark replied, "Are you okay?"

Lara thought for a second and then turned around. Her back was covered in road rash. Both Lois and Clark's eyes widened at the sight. Lois rushed off mumbling, "Those boys…reckless…" Clark gently pushed the backpack off Lara's back, picked her up, and walked her upstairs to the bathroom.

Clark started the bathwater than turned to his daughter.

"Arms up." Clark said and Lara not wanting to be seen as the baby took her clothes off herself and crawled into the tub herself. Clark almost gasped at the cuts and bruises on his five year-old's baby skin.

Clark started gently rubbing Lara down with a washcloth and Lara asked, "Why don't Jon and Adam get hurt?" Clark stopped for a moment stunned. He hadn't expected this to come so soon, but he had promised a long time ago to tell her the truth when she asked.

"You're special." Clark said and he smiled a sad smile as Lara's face lit up, "But not special like Jon and Adam. You don't have powers."

"But when I get big!" Lara exclaimed hopefully.

"No baby. No powers. Not even when you are big."

Crocidile tears started falling from Lara's eyes and Clark grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. Hugging her fragile body close to his.

AU- 2028

The day started out normal enough for Chloe. She fought tooth and nail to get 14 year old Connor out of bed and to school. He had developed a bit of an attitude in recent months and wanted the whole family to give him space, especially his nine year old sister Olivia. The farther away he was from her the better. Ollie and Chloe had a hard time with this seeing as though sibling rivalry was not part of their lives. She was about to head over to the Star City Register and start work for the day when her PDA starting going off. It was from Watchtower Star City. It was sending her a 911 text. "This can't be good." Chloe thought to herself grabbing her purse and rushing out the door to find out what was wrong.

?

Lara stared up at the Daily Planet globe. "Well at least I know where I am now." She thought to herself, "Now if only I could get my hands on a newspaper or even just watch the news." Just then a man in front of her dropped a very wrinkled paper into a trashcan nearby. Lara pushed down her gag reflex and walked over and stuck her hand right into the trashcan.

She looked down and staring back at her was the date November 13, 2028.

A/N: Here is a link to a Family Tree for the story.

.com/tribe/browse?userid=pairofuniverses&view=9&randi=251424920

The code to enter it is the story ID: 7224049. I hope this makes things less confusing. This tree is basically the same for both universes with some apparent differences.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

AU 2028

Superman flew through the open window of Watchtower SC with Lois in his arms. He landed and softly placed Lois on the floor.

"What's up Chlo?" Lois asked curiously. A call asking her and Clark to get their ASAP wasn't exactly bringing her pleasant thoughts.

"I got a message from Watchtower this morning." Chloe replies. Lois and Clark exchanged confused glances. "I programmed it to send me a 911 message if anything were to happen. And I got one this morning."

Chloe pulled up an image on the computer screen for them to see. It was a massive picture of Earth with a glowing red trail of dust coming towards it.

"What is this?" Clark asked staring intently at the screen."

"A rip," Chloe replied, "A rip in the space-time continuum. Someone or something has come here."

"And by here you mean?" Lois asked gesturing towards the screen. Earth wasn't a very specific locale.

"So far I've narrowed it down to the western half of the U.S., but it will be a little longer `till I have more exact coordinates." Chloe replied.

"Alright," Lois answered, "What can we do?"

2028

Lara sat down on a nearby bench. She pulled out her wallet from her back pocket and started looking through its contents. Her ID and debit card were of no use and of the $60.82 in her wallet only $10.35 of it was printed on or before 2028 and that wouldn't last her long.

"I could go find my parents," Lara thought and she turned back to the Daily Planet Globe, "But I'm not even born yet. And I'm from the future. How do I get them to trust me?"

Just then a high pitched squealing noise echoed through Lara's ears. She looked around, but no one else seemed to be phased at all. She pushed her hands against her ears begging it to stop but to no avail. So she just started walking. She didn't know where she was going, but she felt that once she got there this noise would stop.

AU 2028

"Nice digs," Chloe said walking into the Lane Kent office suite.

"Yeah well it helps to be out of the bull pen." Lois replied, "I just thought you would have been more comfortable at Watchtower. I mean the equipment there is much more…sophisticated."

"I've done about as much as I can do for now." Chloe replied, "We just have to sit and wait."

"That is what I don't like about this whole situation. When these people wait to attack it's usually not good."

"Well Clark is out looking and who knows. Maybe there isn't a threat at all. Maybe this person is here to help us." Chloe said optimistically.

"Doubt it." Replied Lois and she turned to her computer screen and starting typing away into the search engine. "Got to start somewhere." She thought to herself.

… … … … … … … …

Clark had been flying the skies for about an hour to no avail. He had stopped a robbery and a couple of muggings but hadn't found anything suspicious at all. He just wanted a clue. Some sign that this thing was out there. He didn't quite enjoy flying about with nothing to do. He liked purpose. A mission.

"Maybe I should just go back to the office." He thought when he heard it. A buzzing almost. Like the noise when his father had called to him before, but not quite. A bit kinder in the tone. A homing beacon. He dipped down pinning the noise down to a more exact spot. He swooshed in and saw a girl holding an orb.

"Excuse me miss." Clark said in his best Superman voice, "What is that you've got there?"

The girl turned to him. She had tears streaming down her eyes and she looked as if she was about to pass out. He whooshed to her side. She handed him the orb.

"Make it stop." She said. "Make the noise stop."

… … … … … … …

"Clark, why didn't you take her to the hospital?" Lois asked looking towards the girl slumped on the couch.

"It just didn't seem right. Something didn't seem right." Clark responded, "She seems better now that the noise has stopped."

"And how exactly did you manage that one?" Chloe asked.

"I just touched the orb and it stopped." Clark replied, "Now it has this countdown and who knows what comes next."

Lois spoke up, "I don't like the idea of having something counting down in our home. It could be a bomb."

"It isn't." The girl replied, "It's a homing beacon."

"And how do you know that?" Lois questioned.

"My parents told me about it." She replied, "They said finding it was the best and worst thing that ever happened to them."

"Well who are your parents?" Lois asked, "I'd like to talk to them about this…this thing and get it all sorted out."

The girl laughed. She pulled something out of her back pocket and handed it to Lois. Lois looked at the ID and then back at the girl.

"You are my parents." She replied, "I'm Lara Lane Kent. And that orb you are holding right there is the key to New Krypton."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

AU-2028

"New Krypton," Clark said disbeliving, "That's not possible."

Lara started, "Well-" and Lois interupted, "Wait a second. First you said it was a homing beacon, then you said a key. Having trouble keeping your story straight?"

Lara laughed, "No. It's you two that can't keep the story straight."

2038

Lois could hear the bedsprings compressing from the floor below. Lara wanted to stay up with her brother, but 9pm was really pushing it for her 8 year old. Besides no matter when she went to sleep Lara was perpetually up at 6am on the dot.

"Mom could you get here to stop," Jon said impatiently

"You could go tell her a story," Lois replied, "She likes it when you do it."

"I'm trying to study." Jon retorted.

Lois gave him a pointed look.

"For the SATs mom. The SATs!"

"Alright. I'll go calm her down, but you better get a good score."

"Thanks Mom!" Jon retorted sarcastically, "No pressure."

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Hey girlie." Lois said walking into Lara's room. Lara landed her next bounce on her bounce on her bottom laughing. "Time for bed."

"A story first." Lara begged, "Please!"

Lois glanced at the shelves.

"No Mom. Not one of those." Lara said matter-of-fact, "The story about space and the planet with the red sun."

"Alright let me think." Lois said wracking her mind for the best way to tell it to an eight year old, "Once upon a time there was a superhero. Big and brave and-"

"Stronger than any other hero." Lara interuppted.

"Did you want me to tell a story or did you want to go to bed?" Lois asked. Lara mimed zipping her lips and sat back on the bed leaning into her mother intently listening ot every word. "And his name was Superman. One day he heard a noise calling to him. He went after it hoping it was not his father calling him after all this time. And he flew the skies listening intently at every curve and he found it. A small translucent, I mean clear," Lois said correcting herself at her daughter's confused look, "orb. A homing beacon that-"

"It was a key." Clark interupted.

"It was a homing beacon." Lois argued.

"Now don't tell her the story wrong Lo. It was a key."

AU 2028

"So you're saying we disagreed." Lois replied.

"Well, yeah. Basically." Lara said, "But no one ever remembers things the same. I mean Jon, Adam, and I never agree on stories of us growing up."

"Jon and Adam?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, my brothers."

"You have little brothers?" Chloe asked.

"No. Older brothers. But you know that." Lara replied looking at her Aunt confusedly. She took a moment and looked arround the room. All three faces were in various stages of disbelief and Lara could see a tear froming in her Mother's eye.

"We don't have any children." Clark replied curtly.

"But that's not right," Lara exclaimed, "Kara said that I was here to save the family legacy and Jon and Adam are a big part of that."

Chloe replied calmly, "Well there must be some misunderstanding-"

"Ella." Lara replied surprising even herself that the name came so easily from her lips, "That's why I'm here. That's why I came back. She disappeared. But not just that. It was like she never existed. Someone is hurting my family and this isn't right. You have to help me. I have to go. I'm meant to be there not here."

"Calm down," Chloe replied, "It's fine. We'll help. Do you have a ring?"

"No. Kara brought me. I don't know how. She said I had to do it on my own."

"Well why don't you come to Watchtower with me. I'm sure together we can figure something out."

Chloe headed towards the door and Lara started following behind her when Lois grabbed her by the arm.

"How?" Lois asked, "How did she..."

"Dialysis." Lara replied, "Twice a month. A complete replacement of her blood with Dad's."

"If we had known." Lois cried thinking of the underwear and all the times before. All the babies...gone.

"Emil. Dr. Hamilton. He figured it out. He kept working on it after your second...second..."

"He died." Clark replied, "Ten years ago."

"I'm sorry." Lara whispered, "I didn't know. I-"

All of the sudden a red light filled the room. Everyone turned to the orb on the coffee table, the source of the glow. A high pitched noise came from it again and only Clark seemed unaffected. To him it was a hum. And then the hum became a voice.

"Kal-El. We need your help. The Kryptonian race is in danger of becoming extinct. The Trephors on the nearby planet of Mallady have taken a liking to New Krypton and want it as their own. The are demolishing our defenses and taking no prisioners. We need help. We are powerless here. There must be something you can do, something you can bring to help us. Please. There aren't many of us left."

Lara looked up as the light extinguished and Clark looked to her. "I can't tell you whether to go or not."

"Can I really help restore their powers?" Clark asked.

"No." Lara replied, "But it's not about that. It never was."

Clark looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

"They need your help, but-"

Lois interuptted before the girl could reveal anymore than she already had. "He's going." Lois said knowingly.

"What?" Lara replied. Her Mother often talked for her Dad but they usually discussed big things like this first.

" I can tell by the look in his eyes." Lois said turningto Clark, "You're going. And I meant what I said all thoose years ago. Sign me up! I'm coming too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

AU-2028

Two Weeks Later

Lara peered over Chloe's shoulder looking at the star charts, coordinates, and the trail she had left through the sky. Chloe rubbed her eyes and picked up her coffee cup only to realize it was empty.

"I can get you another one if you want," Lara offers.

"It's fine," Chloe replied a bit sharply. She was a bit on edge for lack of caffeine.

"You've looked at this a hundred times," Lara countered, "and to no avail."

"We have to get you home." Chloe replied, "We have to-"

Lara cut her off mid-sentence, "What if I'm meant to be here? What if all this happened for a reason?"

2050

"It was an accident Clark. I'm sorry," Kara said earnestly.

"My daughter is missing Kara." Clark retorted, "Accident doesn't quite cover it."

"History is rewriting itself Clark. Lara is the only one in your time who seems to be immune."

"You keep saying that, but it's not true. I have a daughter and a son. That's it. No grandaugher. No Adam."

"But Clark" Kara said pleadingly.

"No Kara." Clark snipped back, "If time altered I would remember it. It's happened before."

"This is different Jor-El-"

"Jor-El. Jor-El! How is he involved with this? If my girl comes back with even a scratch I swear-"

"Clark calm down," Kara replied, "She is your kid after all. That comes with some added benefits."

"No. Not for Lara. She doesn't have powers on Earth Kara."

"But…how?" Kara asked concern rising in her voice as she spoke.

"I had to protect her. She was a baby and she was in danger. It's a long story Kara."

Kara stood in silence for a moment. She had sent a helpless girl to do the task of a Superhero. The though that her niece. Her blood wouldn't have powers never even crossed her mind.

AU-2028

The Kent apartment was a disaster area. Half filled suitcases were strewn about the living room. Boxes of Kryptonian and high school memorabilia were in every room. The fridge was half emptied of its contents.

"Lois have you seen Swan's journal?" Clark yelled across the apartment.

"Clark you don't even know where anything in these boxes is. Why should I?" Lois counter walking towards his voice, "Aren't you the one with x-ray vision?"

Clark walked into the living room nudging his glasses down to scan the boxes. He was so focused on deciphering the contents of each box that the bumped right into Lois who had just turned the corner into the living room.

"Geez Smallville look where you're going." Lois said rubbing her side which was already starting to bruise.

"Sorry Lo," Clark replied apologetically, "I'm just distracted. I don't even know what to bring."

"That's obvious." Lara said.

Both of them turned to see Lara in the doorway. In all the commotion they hadn't even heard her come in.

"They do have clothes and books and even food there you know." Lara said after surveying the room, "You should just bring a few things."

"I don't know what we are going to need. Weren't your parents worried about that to?" Clark questioned.

"I think they were more worried about leaving Chris and Adam." Lara replied honestly.

"Oh." Clark sighed mentally kicking himself. He hadn't even thought of that.

Lara said with an edge to her voice, "They wouldn't take them you know. You wouldn't either. They're your kids. The legacy. They, you wouldn't chance my brothers lives. Taking them would have been selfish."

Lara paused for a second to regain her composure. There was no reason to be mad. They just didn't understand which was hard for her to grasp.

"They were fine," Lara added, "They were safe here."

"Chloe," Clark replied and Lois looked to the doorway then back with understanding.

"Yeah," Lara agreed, "Adam loved it. It was like a vacation for him. Stealing Connor's video games and pulling the heads off Olivia's Barbies. But Jon…Jon was mad. He understood when he was older, but eight is a hard age to have your parents leave. He worried a lot."

The room feel silent. Lois and Clark tried to soak in what their other selves had done, but couldn't quite get it. Children were just a dream to them now. They couldn't imagine having them much less giving them away.

"I want to come with you." Lara said abruptly.

"What?" Lois and Clark replied in unison. This had come out of nowhere.

"I could sit around waiting for a way to go home or I could go do something," Lara explained.

"Chloe is getting closer," Lois said stretching the truth thin, "She could have the answer any day now."

"No she won't," Lara retorted, "I know that. It's okay. Maybe there is another way, but I can't sit around waiting for that. There is a reason I am here. There is a reason I am here now. It's for this. It has to be."

"You may never get to go home," Clark said peering in her eyes.

Lara stared straight back and replied, "I know."

2050

Chloe walked up the familiar stars of the Kent Farmhouse. Lois and Clark had done a little expanding over the years as their family grew, but it still remained much the same. Ever since Lois heard about Lara's disappearance, or her travels, she had taken to coming there on the weekends. Martha Kent hadn't let them sell it before the first wedding or after they decided they wanted to move back to the city when Lara was 10. They kept it in the family more as a place to visit then a home, but full of love all the same.

Lois lay on a twin bed clutching a small pink blanket to her chest. Lara's old baby and childhood toys were still left in this room. Her room.

Chloe rounded the corner and saw Lois sobbing. She walked slowly over, sat down on the edge of the bed, and put a hand on Lois's shoulder. Lois slowly moved up into Chloe's arms and let her cousin's embrace warm her. She let Chloe's shoulder soak up her tears.

And they both sat there for a long while just like that. Chloe letting her tears out more sporadically, trying to be strong.

Then a small whisper came from Lois's lips, "What if she doesn't come back?" And the unanswered question loomed over them with no answer in sight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

AU-2028

The Fortress had seemed the logical location. Practically every Kryptonian artifact Clark had found worked there. The crystals being the main example. But the orb didn't fit anywhere and Jor-El said he couldn't do anything to activate it for them.

After three days of problem solving and every way possible to use the orb Clark just felt more worried. If he was going to help his people, then he had to go soon or all that would be left was bodies. And that thought only induced more pacing in the already on edge Clark. He had gone to the Daily Planet to use the search engine. To look up images, places, anything that could help him, but he couldn't focus. He was running out of time.

… … … … … … …

Lara was walking through the city. She had finally extricated herself from the watchful eyes of Chloe and Lois. Even though she was twenty they seemed to think she was ten. Old enough to do stuff for herself, but still young and needing to be watched. Lara placated them most of the time mostly because she thought Chloe was missing her kids, but "Big Brother" was getting to her.

Lara was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice at first where she was, back in the alley where she found the orb. She had lived in the city almost half of her life and her feet often seemed to have a mind of their own.

The alley felt surprisingly…comfortable. It was wide and well lit. Lara let herself walk down the length of the alley. Just brick and trash, no graffiti in sight. As she turned back a silver glint caught her eye. She went over and picked it up. It was just a silver square not much bigger than her palm. The surface was so slick when she brushed her hand across it. She could have sworn it was frictionless.

With the box tucked in her jacket pocket, she strode out of the alley. She was headed straight to Watchtower without even a look back.

2048

Lois chuckled. Lara didn't even look back for a picture. She just walked right across the stage, got her diploma, and walked right off. There were plenty of eager photographers waiting, but Lara didn't seem to care. She was just ready to move on, with the ceremony and with her life.

… … … … … … …

"Come on Lar," Jon chided, "a few more pictures."

"Between you and Mom and Chloe you've got to have taken at least seventy." Lara replied.

"You are the one who snuck out of pictures earlier missy," Oliver added, "You know what they say about payback."

"It's a b-" Lara started, but before she could get it out Jon threw a hand in front of her mouth.

"There are young ears here Lara." Adam said motioning to their second cousins Ryan and Henry.

"Sorry," Lara apologized, "I'm just used to being the baby."

"I not a baby!" Four year old Ryan declared.

"No baby!" One year old Henry added loudly, not really understanding, but wanting to be like his big brother.

"That a baby," Ryan said pointing to his Aunt Olivia's seven month pregnant belly.

"That's right Ry," Lara replied walking over to the boy and crouching over to get at eye level with him, "I'm sorry. You're big now." She went to hug him and he resisted still a bit mad about being called a baby.

"A few more pictures won't hurt," Lara sighed walking back over to Jon, "We haven't got one of all us yet."

Everyone started looking around for someone to take the picture. Lara giggled at the sight.

"There is this thing on cameras now called a timer." Lara added.

"It's not that," Olivia said, "How on earth are we going to fit all fourteen and a half of us in one shot?"

"This is the picture I want," Lara smiled, "we'll smoosh."

AU- 2028

"This is it," Lara said placing the silver box down on the desk next to Chloe, "This is our ticket out."

"Umm…okay." Chloe said a bit in shock by the suddenness of Lara's discovery, "So now you can go back home."

"Not my ticket back," Lara clarified, "Our ticket out. Lois, Clark, and I. To New Krypton."

"This doesn't seem to fit with the orb exactly," Chloe said turning the box over in her hands.

"It was in the same alley. It feels frictionless. And it's not trash, so it must be the key. This and the orb together will get us there."

"It's been weeks and you're telling me this was in an alley the whole time."

"I bet Dad found it right away in my time. Dad, I mean Clark, was so worried about me he didn't search the area thoroughly before."

"Okay here is what I don't get," Chloe said, "You say you have no powers, but you heard that orb from a mile away. You say you know nothing about how the orb works or how to get to New Krypton, but you magically come back with the key."

"I don't know everything Chloe." Lara declares.

"That is where I don't buy it. You know more than you are letting on."

"No I don't." Lara replies obstinately, "My parents forgot things. My parents didn't always know the whole story. My parents kept things from me. Maybe the signal was linked to DNA and my Kryptonian DNA helped me hearing. But I don't have super hearing so it was an undecipherable screech. Maybe my powers work some here or are latent or I don't know maybe they have just always been on the fritz. My parents wouldn't tell me why my powers are MIA. I don't know why. They just didn't. So I'm sorry I can't answer every little thing you ask, but I don't have all the answers."

Chloe didn't respond at first. She let the words linger trying to figure out what to say and how.

"Okay," Chloe finally replied, "Let's call Lois and Clark. You can go soon. Maybe tomorrow."

… … … … … … … 

The news channels were buzzing. With every click of the dial a reporter was chattering on about Superman. Chloe finally just gave up and let a report play.

"Breaking news today as Superman announces he will be leaving Metropolis and visiting his people on New Krypton. He has refused to be publically interviewed, but in the article today in The Daily Planet he urges vigilance in every citizen and warns criminals that the Justice League will still be on the job. This news has many worried that…"

Chloe turned down the volume as Lois and Clark entered. Both of them looked as if they had gotten little sleep, but from the last minute article or the worries of things to come was anybody's guess.

Lara bounded down the stairs a small backpack thrown over one arm ready to go.

"You're sure this is going to work?" Clark asked Chloe.

"Of course it's going to." Lara replied preempting Chloe, "Did you bring the orb?"

Lois gave her a "no dugh" look.

Lara went over to Chloe's desk, grabbed the orb and put it on a table Chloe had set up in the middle of the room.

"This isn't going to fit." Clark said pulling the orb out of his duffel, "There isn't a divot for it to sit on. It will roll right off."

"Just try it." Lara replied. Clark and Lois looked unconvinced, "I have a feeling. I can't explain it. You just have to trust me."

"Step back Chloe." Clark said and he lowered the orb. As he did it flew from his hands into the box which had bowed expectantly to except its missing piece. It glowed a brilliant glow. Clark and Lara instinctively put their hands on the orb. Lois grabbed Clark's arm and they were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

AU New Krypton Year 19

Lois sat up. She was still a bit dizzy. Taking the trip through space with only a hand on Clark's shoulder rattled her as well as putting a great strain on her arm. Lois looked around her and saw Clark about a foot to her right, but had no view of Lara at all. Once she gained her composure she turned her attentions towards Clark. He was lying flat on his face and Lois rolled him over. A bump was forming on his head and his hands were scrapped and bleeding.

"Clark." Lois said shaking him, "Clark!"

Clark opened his eyes groggily and saw a very concerned Lois looking over him. He slowly sat up holding his hand to his head.

"I'm fine Lois."

"You're bleeding." She said holding one of his hands.

Clark moved his hand off his aching head and looked down on his hands. They were scuffed up a bit, but nothing too bad. Lois had seen him worse, way worse.

"It's not bad."

"But you're bleeding." Lois said putting more emphasis in her words trying to get him to comprehend what was going on.

"Kryptonite?" Clark asked looking around.

"No," Lois confirmed after looking around more thoroughly herself, but then she looked up. In place of a yellow sun was a red one, "Sun." she said simply pointing up.

"Well," Clark replied, "I am beginning to understand why they feel so powerless."

… … … … … … …

Lara, having once been transported through time and space was a bit more prepared this time around. She did her best to keep her legs under her and ready for impact. She stumbled forward a bit on the landing, but got up and didn't have a scratch.

When Lara looked around she didn't see anyone around. She listened for Lois and Clark. Thinking maybe an echo would carry across the dessert that she could hear. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind and then she heard it.

"I don't know where she is Clark. She wasn't here when I woke up." Lois said.

Lara's eye's shot open. She had heard that crystal clear, but Lois was nowhere to be seen. A red gleam caught Lara's eyes and she looked up to see she was under a red sun. All the stories started to make sense. Her mother had always told her stories about feeling her little feet kick her and how she loved it, but when she talked about the boys the stories always had an undertone of pain. If this is where she was conceived it made sense that she didn't hurt her mother. She didn't have powers in the womb, because her father had no powers under a red sun.

"But I have powers now." Lara thought to herself realizing that it didn't make as much sense as she originally thought.

"Powers." She muttered to herself and then her eyes lit up. She took off in a whirl of dust speeding through the dessert. Lara kept her ears pert with attention listening to the talk of Lois and Clark. When she got close enough she started to stop digging her heals into the ground. Her body tumbled forward in response and she fell onto something hard.

… … … … … … …

As Lois and Clark walked a dust storm came up in all its furry. Lois instinctively put her hand up to protect her eyes, but Clark wasn't used to having to do so and got an eyeful of dust.

"Ow!" Clark shouted, got a mouthful of dust, and he stopped in his tracks trying to regain himself.

Lois was trudging right along when something hard knocked her to the ground.

As the dust rose and Clark could see again. He laughed in spite of himself. Lara and Lois were lying on the ground in a jumbled mess.

"Ow! That hurt!" Lois said as Lara rolled off of her.

"Sorry. I need to work on the whole stopping thing." Lara apologized.

Lois got up slowly, her shoulder and arm already starting to bruise. Clark walked towards her and his eyes widened at the sight. This was not caused by the fall, but rather the impact. The impact of being hit by something hard. Like being hit by something made of steal. Clark looked to Lara knowingly.

"I don't know." Lara said, "I really don't. I mean the only thing I can think of is-"

"Blue Kryptonite." Clark replied.

Lois and Lara both looked confused.

2032

"Lois." Chloe hollered into the farmhouse, "Lois!"

She had come to pick up her kids after a day with their Aunt and cousins. She, Ollie, and the kids were staying in Metropolis for a week. They had decided a family vacation would be good for them.

Chloe walked around the house and saw the boys in the living room with all of their hands plastered to video game controllers. Finding no one in the kitchen or the other common areas downstairs Chloe headed up to bedrooms. She checked the master bedroom and the boy's rooms before coming around the corner into the last room in the house, Lara's room. Olivia and Lara were splayed out in the middle of the floor playing with bears and dolls. Liv was giving all of them funny voices which made Lara laugh.

"Where's your Aunt?" Chloe asked.

"She went to the store." Liv replied, "We ran out of milk."

"How long ago was that?" Chloe asked eyebrows raised.

"I don't know. Like twenty minutes." Liv replied turning back to her cousin.

"And she left you alone with Lara." Chloe asked.

"Well yeah." Lara replied matter 'o-factly gesturing around at the empty room.

"Alright," Chloe said keeping her calm. It wasn't Olivia's fault her Aunt left her alone, "I'll be outside. Call if you need me."

"I won't." Lara said turning back to Lara who was tugging on her arm saying, "More Liv. More."

AU New Krypton Year 19

"So when your dad made the orb with the Kandorians in it he doused it with Blue Krptonite and that's why they didn't have powers on Earth." Lara said reiterating what Clark had told her.

"Exactly." Clark replied.

"What does this have to do with Lara?" Lois asked.

"I think that's what we did. I think we doused her with Blue K so she wouldn't have powers." Clark replied.

"That can't be right." Lara replied, "Why would I be different than my brothers? Why me and not them?"

2032

Once she was outside Chloe dialed her phone frantically. Impatiently tapping her foot when Lois didn't answer after the second ring.

A few rings later there was the click of someone picking up and Lois said, "Hello."

"Would you mind telling me why the kids are home alone?" Chloe asked her anger rising.

"I had to go to the store." Lois replied. Wondering why Chloe was so upset, "What's the big deal?"

"Really. Really Lois. You have no idea why this would be a problem?" Chloe fumed.

"Chloe your kids are 15 and 13. They are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and the younger ones." Lois stated explaining her reasoning.

"Really?" Chloe replied sarcastically, "What if one of your kids set fire to the curtains or ran off? What then?"

"The boys can control their powers now. You know that."

"What about Lara?"

"What about her?"

"The boys started getting their powers around her age. She could get them at any time and just run off and not be able to get back. Liv is not prepared or capable of handling that."

"Stop worrying Chlo."

"Lois I know parents get a bit lax after they have a few kids but this is ridiculous!" Chloe ranted.

Lois interrupted, "Chloe it's not a big deal. Lara doesn't have powers."

Chloe continued ranting over her, "And she could hurt Liv without even realizing it. Wait. What did you just say?"

"Lara doesn't have powers, so it's not a big deal."

"Excuse me, but how does Lara not have powers? Is there something you need to tell me about, because I thought you and Clark were solid I didn't think that you would hav-"

"Don't you dare finish that statement!" Lois snapped cutting her off.

"Then how?" Chloe asked her reporter's instinct kicking in.

"Chloe," Lois sighed, "Can we not get into this right now?"

"You can't just drop this bomb on me and not explain Lois." Chloe said her intrigue pulling her, "If you knew this, then why didn't you tell me before? I mean this is pretty important information."

"Clark and I didn't want anyone to treat her differently." Lois explained.

"Bull! Bullshit Lois! What's the real reason?" Chloe replied calling her out.

"We had to protect her Chloe." Lois said.

"And you don't trust me with this!" Chloe replied offended, "I kept Clark's secret for-"

"Just let it go Chloe."

"But-"

"Please Chloe. Just let me and Clark take care of her. We know what we are doing."

"Okay." Chloe said resigning to the fact that she wasn't getting anywhere, "I'll see you soon."

AU New Krypton Year 19

"Wait a minute," Lois said, "When did your parents get back from New Krypton?"

"Sometime in 2030 I think, but I don't know for sure how time here passes versus home, so it might have been shorter than a year for them."

"When were you born?"

"In 2030. January 25, 2030," Lara's replied her eyes widening at the revelation Lois had revealed to her, "I was born here. So you're right Clark. You did use Blue K to douse me, but to give me powers not take them away."


End file.
